If you would like to work in hospitality management, learn how to become a restaurant manager. While there are several different settings that you can work in as a hospitality manager, the demand for restaurant managers is on the rise because of the population’s new-found appreciation for quality food. Managers are in charge of ordering food, maintaining the cooking equipment, following health and safety protocols and overseeing the operations of a restaurant to ensure that customers are satisfied. If this sounds like the type of occupation you would like to pursue, here is what you need to do:
Step 1: Decide If You Are Ready For the Work Environment
Restaurant management is a fast-paced and sometimes chaotic field. Since the entire restaurant’s success is resting on your shoulder’s throughout the day, the job can be extremely stressful during peak hours. You can expect to work 50 to 80 hours per week depending on the size and hours of the establishment that you work for. If you enjoy working with high levels of stress and you can work on your feet for long hours during the day or night, this could be a fun and rewarding position.
Step 2: Get Experience in Restaurant Work
If you are highly motivated and willing to work your way up the chains, you can enter the industry and learn the ropes with nothing more than a high school diploma or GED. You won’t get hired to work as a manager from the start, but eventually, you can advance into supervisory roles without pursuing any post-secondary training.
When you are applying for restaurant work, set your sights on positions in the type of restaurant that you would like to manage. Do you prefer working in a smaller establishment or a larger one that is busy all day long? Do you want to work in a fine dining or casual setting? Would you like to work in a sushi restaurant or one specializing in home cooked delights? These are all decisions that you need to make before searching for a position.
Step 3: Enter a Degree Program
While you are working in a restaurant you should consider entering a training or academic program. It is best to pursue a Bachelor’s degree in Hospitality Management first so that you can build a foundation of the knowledge of the skills that you need in the hospitality industry. After you earn your 4-year degree, you may want to consider earning a Master’s degree or MBA in Hospitality Management. Some of the curriculum when you specialize your advanced degree in Hospitality Management include:
- Food service sanitation
- Human resources management
- Marketing for restaurants
- Training
- Cost estimation for food and supplies
- Facilities planning
- Contract management
If you want to work in food service management, you must have experience and a degree. This is because the job outlook in the field is projected to grow very slowly. Since the outlook is not faster than average, having years of experience and a degree will help you be a more marketable manager. Be sure to compare accredited hospitality management programs through the Accreditation Commission for Programs In Hospitality Administration and then use this guide on how to become a restaurant manager.
See also: 50 Most Affordable Small Colleges for Hospitality Administration and Management 2015